I have a sweet tooth and I'm not afraid to use it

White Bean & Chicken Chili

Have you ever tasted a dish somewhere away from home that was so good, you immediately thought to yourself, “I must find a way to make this at home”? This White Bean & Chicken Chili is that dish for me.

I’ve made a few changes from the original, namely omitting the potatoes, but I feel I’ve captured all of the flavors I was trying to recreate with this recipe. Knowing I can make my favorite chicken chili whenever I want now instantly brings a smile to my face.

This chicken chili is quite possibly the only reason I’ve survived this seemingly endless winter with record amounts of snow. There’s something about the smokey heat in chicken chili that I find so appealing. It’s as if you’ve taken two of the most comforting foods out there – chicken noodle soup and chili – and combined them into one ultra satisfying and heart-warming dish.

White Bean & Chicken Chili

Serves 4-6

As written, the recipe has a subtle but noticeable amount of heat. If you like your chili really spicy, add more chili powder or chiles. Don’t let the BBQ sauce scare you. It’s there to add a touch of smokiness and depth of flavor.

Add remaining 1 Tablespoon butter, then stir in chiles, cumin, chili powder and flour. Stir until vegetables are coated and a wet paste forms. Cook 2-3 minutes more to remove raw flour taste. Pour chicken broth in slowly, stirring quickly and constantly to remove lumps. Add white beans and BBQ sauce. Add salt, to taste. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, until thickened. (I like to mash up some of the beans in the pot at this point to thicken the chili even further.)

Add chicken and cook until chicken is heated and chili reaches desired consistency.

I made this last weekend and it is fabulous! Well, it was – we scarfed it right up! I followed the recipe exactly (even used Sweet Baby Ray’s barbecue sauce) and I would not change a thing. (I didn’t add any salt at all- it has plenty of flavor already!) This is such a great alternative for someone like me who loves chili but can’t have the tomatoes. Thanks for the recipe – we will definitely be having this again.